It'me It's my life
by Marina3
Summary: New version of a previous story! Sometimes, the past can hurt. The way Severus and his daughter, Meg, see it, they can either embrace it, or...they can run from it. Will the have the strength to?
1. Welcome to the US Of A

Title: It's me, my life. (01)  
  
Author name: Marina  
  
Category: Drama  
  
Sub Category: Action/Adventure  
  
Keywords: SS/RL, LM/SB, Slash Original characters (paired up with the characters)  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: From all the books. As this takes place in the Harry's fifth year, I'm going to use a few facts fromthe OoTP book. The bonus is: Sirius's alive.  
  
Summary: Sometimes, the past can hurt. The way Snape and his daughter, Meg, see it, they can either embrace it, or they can run from it. Will they have the strength to?  
  
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The characters and scenarios on which this story is based belong the the one and only J.K. Roling. Except, of course of Meg, Lena and Lex.  
  
**-------------------------------------------------------------------------- **  
  
Chapter 1: Welcome to the US of A.  
  
Boisterous cheers and screams of excitement echoed throughout the whole room as the girls danced and cheered. Blue, black and silver were the colors that adorned the full and enormous room. Pictures of packs of wolves were seen painted on the walls, gnarling or glaring, but there was one mural of a lone wolf on a cliff top howling at the silver moon. Remus Lupin looked rather interested at the pictures, as Sirius Black grinned in amusement and Severus Snape protected his ears by sticking his fingers in them, an annoyed look on his face.  
  
Helena chuckled to herself. From the top of the stands of the enormous gym, she spotted them and called to them while waving her arms. Remus's sharp ears heard her and, with animal instinct spotted her among the crowd quickly. He smiled at her, elbowing Sirius and motioning with his chin to look up. Both Severus and Sirius looked up at Remus's call for attention. Both men had different reactions. While Sirius smiled broadly as he waved at her, Severus froze mesmerized as he looked at his beautiful wife and soon gave a small smile.  
  
"Earth to the Potions Master!! Hello!" Sirius snapped his fingers in front of Severus's face.  
  
Snapping out of it, Severus looked at Sirius quite annoyed and scowled. Helena giggled and stopped herself, looking around the large room. Soon the three men were in front of her and Helena had to gather all of her strength to not to cry right then and there.  
  
"Hey, there." She smiled at them, but her strength was failing her and her eyes were already shining with tears.  
  
"Well, well, after all these years aren't we still beautiful today?" Sirius stood casually, eyeing the woman while a smile played with his lips.  
  
Helena laughed, tears streaming down her cheeks, then threw her arms around his shoulders. Down at the court, along with a couple of cheerleaders, a beautiful, raven haired girl saw the exchange as did her friends. She frowned as her mother hugged the men enthusiastically, as if she hadn't seen them for a long time.  
  
"Is that really your mom?" Livia Moore flicked her auburn hair over her shoulders, and tore her gaze from the display above to reset upon her friend.  
  
"I guess so. Looks like her, doesn't it?" The raven haired girl looked up in amazement, wondering who those men were and made a mental note to ask her mother as soon as the Pep Rally was over.  
  
"Where on earth did she meet those hotties?!" a girl with blond, short hair by the name of Kristen Shaw, squealed excitedly.  
  
The girl rolled her eyes, annoyed. It was so like Kristen to squeal like that when she saw what she liked.  
  
"Beats me." She drawled, turning away.  
  
Helena was already hugging Severus. She hugged him the longest, her tears falling silently as he held her after all these years.  
  
"God, I missed you so much!"  
  
"So did I, Lena. So did I." Lena smiled to herself as Severus called her by her nickname.  
  
It had certainly been a long, almost, fifteen years without seeing him, nor spending the moments with him as she had promised the day they married.  
  
"How's our little Maggie?" Remus asked anxiuosly turning to the crowd, hoping to find the girl in question amongst the groups of teens.  
  
"Uh...you might want to drop that nickname for her." Lena said, her voice tinged with amusement.  
  
"Why?" Remus frowned.  
  
"She hates it." She replies with a conspirational whisper.  
  
"How come?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Beats me." Lena shrugged, then motioned for the men to take the seats besides her.  
  
Cheers and scream filled the room again as the cheerleaders took the spotlight for the second time. Helena wiped her eyes with her fingers as she smiled at the squad.  
  
"It's about to start." Lena told them happily.  
  
"What is?" Severus looked at the group of girls with a frown and praying silently these girls didn't wear those short outfits to classes.  
  
"You'll see." She replied waving a hand at him.  
  
Music started and the cheerleaders, all dressed in their small blue, black, and silver colored outfits, started dancing and shaking their pom-poms in the air. The base drum of the song Saturday Night poured out of the heavy speakers and filled their ears. The girls danced, jumped, and were thrown into the air all while doing twists and turns before jumping when finished.  
  
"This is it."  
  
The three men concentrated on the girls and Remus saw a raven haired girl walking in rhythm with the music to one end of the court. She turned when she reached it and what she did next was nothing he had ever seen, not that he had gotten out to the muggle world that often. The girl ran, then threw herself on her hands, twisted and bent her body in ways Remus never thought it was physically possible. Her body moved as if she was flying and the people in the stands, from bottom to top, cheered wildly during every turn she gave. Helena clapped enthusiastically when she finished, proud of her daughter. The men were shocked to say the least.  
  
"Bloody Hell! what was that?"  
  
"That's gymnastics, Sirius." Lena laughed.  
  
"Who is she?" Remus asked, still shocked.  
  
"I thought you'd never ask! She's my daughter. She's our little Maggie" She replied as her eyes twinkled merrily with pride.  
  
All was silent, except for the cheering crowd. The men who had been watching the show all bore expressions of pure paralyzed shock until voices broke in unison.  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"You're joking!" Sirius turned to the girl, then back at her mother in disbelief.  
  
"Our little Maggie?!" Remus asked in a faint voice clutching at his chest.  
  
"What in the seven hells is she doing in an outfit like that? Doesn't she have some decency!?" Severus stared at the girl scandalized.  
  
"You will never change, will you, Sev?" Lena rolled her eyes.  
  
Severus just scowled.  
  
At the end of the Pep rally Lena, Severus, Remus, and Sirius were outside the school's gym waiting for Lena's daughter to arrive. Within minutes she walked out of the gym with a group of cheerleaders, all still in the impossibly small uniforms.  
  
"Isn't she going to change?" Snape asked with a disdainful look at her petite daughter.  
  
"No" Lena without taking her eyes off her daughter.  
  
"You mean she wears this to school?" He turned to his wife horrified.  
  
"Yes." She nodded solemnly.  
  
"I'll be thankful she's going to Hogwarts, then. No more of those little revealing outfits to parade around the school." He turned to look at his now giggling daughter.  
  
Both Lupin and Black sniggered. Snape gave them a dark look as Lena rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well, even though you're her father, I don't think you will get her to stop wearing that outfit. That is, if she's anything like Lena, I'd really like to see you try." Black commented, crossing his arms, his eyes still fixed on the raven haired girl.  
  
"Enough said." Lupin retorted solemnly, his hands in his pockets as he swung on his heels.  
  
Finally, Lena's daughter separated herself from her cheerleader friends, giggling as she said her goodbyes and earning yells of 'Bye, Meg!' or 'See you later, Meg!' from them.  
  
"Meg's coming." Lena warned.  
  
Truly enough, Meg made her way toward her mother, barely noticing the men beside her. The men could she how strong a resemblance she had to her mother with the slim build, golden skin and energetic peronality. She half- ran to her mother, sporting a wide grin on her young face and her hair up in a long ponytail.  
  
"Hey, mom! Did you see that? God, that was so cool!" Meg jumped excitedly, still oblivious to the men.  
  
"I know sweetie, you were great! Wasn't she guys?" Lena giving them a hearty wink as Meg turned surprised to the men. Meg then got rid of any mental notes she had done earlier regarding these men.  
  
"Oh, yeah...that was...awesome." Said Lupin in awe, taking his hands out of his pockets and waving them around in emphasis..  
  
"Whoa...amazing" Black wide grin and nodding approvingly  
  
"Never seen anything like it, right Sev?" Lupin elbowed Snape, prompting him to talk.  
  
"Oh, yes. Highly amusing"  
  
Meg laughed already guessing that the man did not think any of it amusing.  
  
"Thank you. My name's Meg, Meg Smith." holding a hand out to Severus, who reluctantly took it.  
  
"Severus. Severus Snape"  
  
"Nice to meet you" Meg nodded, smiling.  
  
"Like wise" He replied politely.  
  
As soon as she turned to Lupin and Black, Black smiled and held out his hand. "I'm Sirius Black and this is my friend Remus. Remus Lupin."  
  
"Hello, Meg" Remus said smiling, as Meg shook Black's hand and soon turned to shake his.  
  
"Nice to meet you, too. Where are y'all from?" Meg asked.  
  
"Noticed we're not from around here, huh?" Remus teased.  
  
"What can I say? I'm smart." Meg shrugged in mock indifference. The men and her mother chuckled.  
  
"We're from England. And we came by those horrible things you call planes and we had to sit for 12 bleeding hours. Can you imagine the pain?" replied Black in a joking tone.  
  
"Oh, I've been there." Meg said laughing.  
  
"They are very old friends of mine." Lena pointed out. "Came all the way from England to see us, and help us with some things."  
  
"Oh?" Meg eyebrows rose curiously as she stared at them. "What is it that we need help with?"  
  
"Well, as much as I would like to answer that, I'm afraid I'm here talk to your counselor. I told her we were moving. I need you to come with me." Her mother replied.  
  
Then Lena started walking, the men along with her and Meg following a few seconds after she realized what her mother just said.  
  
"Moving? Moving where?" she asked bewildered. She looked from her mom to the men then back at her mom, as she tagged along, a look of confusion etched in her face.  
  
Lena simply replied: "England." =============================================  
  
Meg found herself seated on the couch with Sirius, Remus, and Severus after having a talk with her counselor. The three kept glancing at Meg every now and then as she tapped her foot loudly on the floor. They were startled to hear her speak to them.  
  
"I still don't understand what's going on."  
  
"Look, as much as we would like to enlighten you, I don't think we should be the ones to tell you." Remus said in a calming voice, hoping to diminish her impatience.  
  
"So you know!" Meg exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, we do, but we're not going to say anything to you against you mother's wishes. She wants to be there when you hear what she has to say." Severus added.  
  
"What about a hint?" Meg said hopefully.  
  
"No."  
  
"A very weensy, tiny hint"  
  
"No"  
  
At this point, both Sirius and Remus watched the amusing exchange between Meg and Severus turning to them as they spoke, making it seem as if they were spectators in a tennis match. Meg got frustrated.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
"Language!" Severus admonished scandalized.  
  
As Severus spoke, the door to the counselor's office opened and Lena emerged shaking the hand of Meg's counselor. Meg quickly stood up.  
  
"I really appreciate your help."  
  
"No problem, Mrs. Smith. If you need anything else, don't hesitate on calling me. I'll do whatever I can to help." The counselor replied with a smile and glancing at the three men who now stood up behind Meg and looking approving.  
  
"Thank you so much. Bye." Lena replied, apparently oblivious to everything. Lena turned to face them as soon as the counselor left. Meg seemed rooted to the spot.  
  
"When did you tell her we were moving?"  
  
"A month ago." her hand raking her purse looking for something, and pulled out her keys. "Aha! Ready to go?"  
  
"When are we going?" Meg asked insistently.  
  
"In two weeks" She replied holding out two fingers.  
  
"What?" Meg's bewildered shouts drew attention from curious students. "When were you going to tell me this?"  
  
"Why don't we go home and talk about it there?" her mother suggested looking apologetic at the students.  
  
"But--"  
  
"Let's go" Lena interjected, leading the group outside to the parking lot where she had left her car parked. Meg opened the door of the front seat, got in without a word, and slammed the door angrily. -----------------------------------------------------  
  
It was obvious Meg was anxious to return home, for she tapped the window rythmically throughout the ride. As soon as they got home she got out of the car quickly and opened the door with her own key.  
  
"I'll be right back." She stalked into the house clearly uspet.  
  
Standing in the foyer she kicked her running shoes off towards the closet door and proceeded up three steps until she was on the main landing. Turning left, past the stair case, she entered a hallway and proceeded to the very last room on the right; she opened the door to her bedroom. Turning the light on she closed the door behind her and sighed.  
  
What was going on? Why had her mother kept this secret from her? It wasn't fair.  
  
Meg felt that it must big, for her mother never kept any secrets from from her brother or her, or else she would've know something. It was strange to know her mother still had secrets after all the things they went through together. What if...? no, that couldn't be it, she'd know if it was. She silently prayed her brother would get home soon as she was feeling like she would break down at any moment.  
  
She walked towards her oak dresser and extracted a change of clothes from the drawers. She quickly changed, throwing her cheerleaders outfit into the laundry hamper, and left her room. When she reached the landing everyone was in the house. Her mother was in the kitchen to the right and the three men were sitting in the living room in front of her, waiting for both women to appear from wherever they had gone off to.  
  
"I'm back." said Meg. "Now, what's going on?"  
  
Helena emerged from the kitchen with a try full of cups and a teapot. Only one cup was filled and Meg saw it was coffee, black.  
  
"Here's your coffee, Severus."  
  
"Thank you." He thanked her with a small smile.  
  
Helena proceeded to serve the others tea. Her memory served well as she remembering Remus didn't take sugar in his tea.  
  
"So many years and you still remember."  
  
"Remus, you offend me, how could I forget?" Teased Lena as she prepared his tea.  
  
They all chuckled except Meg, who was looking from her mother to the men and then back at her mother, not understanding anything at all. They seemed much too friendly to have passed as many years as she thought.  
  
"Is what you're going to tell me so bad that you need tea and coffee to calm me down?" her daughter asked, frowning at her.  
  
"No, it's not bad. It's unexpected." Lena replied, still not facing Meg.  
  
"Well, whose fault is that?" Meg drawled sitting down in an armchair.  
  
Lena graced that with a sidelong glance before she sat down on her favorite single couch. She turned to look at the men.  
  
"Well, it's time. Ready?"  
  
"Ready as we can be." Replied Sirius for all of them.  
  
"Now you're scaring me." Meg stared at the men as if waiting for them to pounce on her.  
  
It seemed Lena had mentally waved away what Meg said, for she sat obviously in thought. She hesitated for a while, and Meg sat patiently waiting (which was very rare for Meg).  
  
"Meg, did you ever wonder why you never saw your father?" Her mother asked patiently.  
  
Meg didn't understand where her mother was going with this. She never brought up her father. It was a subject never breached. Meg wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about her father in front of these men she hardly knew.  
  
"Uh...I've had guesses," Meg shrugged, "but that's just it, they're guesses."  
  
"Magic never crossed your mind, did it?"  
  
Meg frowned, clearly confused. "Magic?"  
  
"Yes, because your father... is a wizard." ==============================================  
  
R & R 


	2. Coming out with the truth

Title: It's me, my life. (01)  
  
Author name: Marina  
  
Author email: picsis9@hotmail.com  
  
Category: Drama  
  
Sub Category: Action/Adventure  
  
Keywords: SS/RL, LM/SB, Slash Original characters (paired up with the characters)  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: None. I don't have the fifth book, which pretty much sucks, so I'm just winging it around, ok? OK.  
  
Summary: Sometimes, the past can hurt. The way Snape and his daughter, Meg, see it, they can either embrace it, or they can run from it. Will they have the strength to?  
  
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The characters and scenarios on which this story is based belong the the one and only J.K. Rowling. Except, of course of Meg, Lena and Lex.  
  
********************************************************  
  
Chapter 2: Out With The Truth  
  
Meg blinked. Once. Twice. For a long while she stayed silent trying to comprehend what her mother just told her. The swarm of questions that invaded her head was relentless and Meg reckoned that was a headache coming. Meg then heard her mother call her. Funny how her voice seemed so distant.  
  
"Meg?" her mother called tentatively. "Meg, honey? Are you ok?"  
  
Meg blinked again. Twice. Then she spoke.  
  
"Ok? Am I ok?" she asked incredously, only to explode a second later making everyone in the room wince "Mom! Are you ok?!?!"  
  
"I was fine until you almost killed my ears!" her mother replied rubbing her abused ears.  
  
"Mom, I'm serious!"  
  
"So am I"  
  
Sirius decided to step in. "All right, ladies. Let's not panic." He suggested.  
  
"Not panic?" she scoffed "Oh, no! I'm not panicked! Just besides the fact that my mom just told me that my father is a wizard, everything's great! Wouldn't you think so, mom?"  
  
Lena rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming"I think we better wait for your brother to come home"  
  
"Brother?" both Remus and Sirius said in unison.  
  
Grinning mischievously "I left home pregnant."  
  
Lena laughed as both men glared daggers at Severus. As it seemed, he deliberately neglected to tell them of it besides that Severus was looking anywhere else but at them.  
  
"Oh, that's right," said Meg, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Better have the whole family know my mom has lost her mind"  
  
"Wow! I didn't know you considered us as a family already. I think I'm blushing" Sirius teased.  
  
Meg blushed scarlet as she just noticed there were more people in the room. She was going to apologize for forgetting then she remembered: what are they doing there?  
  
"Well, um, actually, I'm a little doubtful of your purpose here, not that you're not welcome here, quite the contrary, I was just wondering, y'know" she asked as politely as she could muster.  
  
"Well, we're here to give your mum a hand with you"  
  
Nodding. "Uh-huh"  
  
Taking up after Sirius, Remus said: "But might as well wait for your brother, don't you think?"  
  
As if on cue, Meg's brother came in noisily, throwing his backpack into the coat closet and yelling as he came into the living room:  
  
"Mom, Meg! I'm home!"  
  
"About time!" yelled Meg.  
  
At the sight of his sister exasperated face, he frowned. As his eyes searched for his mom, they fell on the three men standing scattered around the room and finding his mother behind a dark haired man with penetrating black eyes.  
  
Turning to his mother. " I didn't know we would have company."  
  
"Lex, I want you to meet Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Severus Snape" his mother said, pointing at the men as she introduced them.  
  
Lex, however, kept his eyes glued to the man called Severus Snape. He could not believe his luck! Just a few moments ago, he wondered when would he be able to meet his father at last and the very man stood in front of him. Lex certainly looked like a son who hadn't seen his father since the day he was born and if Meg knew the whole truth or tried to listen, she wouldn't have thought his behavior as odd.  
  
"Hey, bro. You ok?" she asked, her brows drawn in concern. Lex turned to her.  
  
"Uh, yeah" then he turned back to the men and shook their hands "Nice to meet you"  
  
Severus had given him a small smile when they shook hands, firmly, acknowledging that he was his father and that he was proud of him. The raven-haired boy couldn't help but smile back, ignoring his sister's scrutinizing gaze.  
  
"So, what's going on?" he asked solemnly, turning to his sister.  
  
"The world is coming to an end" she replied deadpan.  
  
"Really?" Lex said, raising an eyebrow, which made him look strangely like his father. Meg, of course was oblivious to it.  
  
Sighing dramatically "Ours anyway"  
  
Eyebrow still up but higher, Lex replied. "Oh"  
  
"Meg, before you do anything, why don't you let me finish what I started," Lena suggested. She knew for a fact that things could get nasty if she didn't take control of things.pronto.  
  
"What did you start?" Lex asked innocently  
  
Meg laughed sarcastically. "You're not going to believe this, you're going to laugh, trust me" she gives a chuckle before saying: "Mom says Dad's a Wizard."  
  
"Really?" he replied, a smirk in place that made him look more like his father and everyone in the room saw the resemblance, even Sirius acknowledged it with a shudder.  
  
"That's it? No comments? No protests? No freaking out?" said Meg perplexed.  
  
Lex walked to the kitchen as he replied with a small shrug. "Why would I?"  
  
Meg blinked again, confused. "What is the matter with you?"  
  
"Me?" he said nonchalantly "I know"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
From the kitchen. "That Dad's a wizard"  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Mom told me"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
The adults in the room watched the exchange intently as if they were spectators in a tennis game.  
  
"All right, stop it!" started their mother "I haven't even got the chance to finish"  
  
Meg went on, ignoring her mother's warning. "I can't believe you actually think Dad's a Wizard"  
  
Lex came back with a bottle of water, opening it as he replied. "I don't think. I know"  
  
"How would you know? You haven't even met him," Meg says as she watches- fuming slightly- her brother take a gulp of water.  
  
"In that you're wrong," he stated.  
  
A long silence and a few owlish blinks later.  
  
"Mom?" Meg turned to her mother in confusion.  
  
Grabbing her shoulders gently. "Meg, you better sit down for this one."  
  
She did so as her mother led her to the 2-seat couch.  
  
"Lex," her mother started "found out about a year ago about his true heritage as he followed me to basement when I went to check on my old things. I guess I was getting rusty because I just didn't hear him come in." Lena stopped for a moment to check the reaction of her daughter. She got none.  
  
"Would you like to know what he found out?" she asked her.  
  
Meg just nodded.  
  
"He found out that we have magic inside us. That he, like his father is a wizard, and you, like me, are a witch. He found my things from my old school: books of spells and charms, potions ingredients along with my cauldron, my robes, and my wand"  
  
At that exact moment, Meg had made a little noise at the back of her throat. Lena stopped as soon as she heard it. She didn't want to rush into anything, and had to make sure Meg understood.  
  
"Do you want me to go on?" she asked, and Meg assented.  
  
"I told Lex about how it all started. He hadn't been born yet and you were just a little baby.  
  
.....FLASHBACK................  
  
A young raven haired woman paced the spacious room. The eyes of a messy haired man followed in frustration as he had his wife locked to his arm, which was dangerously close to feeling numb. They were at Albus Dumbledore's office, along with Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Arthur and Molly Weasley, and Narcissa Malfoy. Lena paced restlessly up and down the room, waiting for news from the spy Death Eaters, hoping that they would come personally to deliver them. One of them was her husband.  
  
"Lena! Stop it, already!" said an annoyed James Potter, breaking free of his wife's, Lily, death grip "You're starting to make us all nervous!"  
  
"Starting?" replied the pacing Lena sarcastically "I thought you were already worried."  
  
"Well excuse us for not caring about them." Started Sirius, " but you know how we feel about them."  
  
"We?" asked Remus.  
  
"Yes, we." Replied Sirius.  
  
Placing his hands on his waist, he glares at Sirius. "Well, I am yet to see how you include me into this knowing that I don't hate Severus nor Lucius"  
  
Jokingly. "But Moony, we all hate them! We're supposed to"  
  
"Oh, for God's sake! Shut up!" shouted Lena "I do not need you or anybody, to tell me all over again, how much you hate my husband but I can tell you the feeling's mutual!"  
  
"Lena!" Sirius squeaked, hand on his chest.  
  
"Don't 'Lena' me, Sirius. I'm scared ****less that something happened to my husband and you stand there saying that you hate him."  
  
"I was only joking, jeez!" he shouted in the middle of her sentence.  
  
"And joke about it!!" she went on as if she hadn't heard him.  
  
"All right!" shouts Dumbledore "That is enough you two. Lena, do please control yourself, given the circumstances you do not want to say something you will later regret."  
  
Lena huffed, offended. Dumbledore then turned to Sirius who paled at the stern gaze directed at him.  
  
"And Sirius," started Dumbledore, watching Sirius squirm "I would appreciate if you kept those comments to yourself, even if you meant them jokingly. You can do that, can't you? If not for yourself or Lena, then for the sake of our limited sanity."  
  
Giggles and snickers rang throughout the room, but as soon as Lena glared at them, it stopped. Suddenly, both Lucius and Severus burst into the room.  
  
"Severus!" Lena gasped out and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. Severus held her tight, desperately, as if afraid that she might vanish and never see her again. Lucius, in turn, walked toward his wife, where she waited with open arms. She ran her hands up and down his arms as he circled his waist and joined his head with hers. Everyone could see the gloom that hung about them.  
  
"Severus, Lucius" Dumbledore's voice called.  
  
Both men turned to where the voice came from and disentangled from their wives' arms. Worry was etched in both men's faces and the room's occupants feared the worst.  
  
"He's found out the Heirs"  
  
Gasps of shock flew about the room. Dumbledore closed his eyes in defeat as he slipped off his glasses. If Voldemort got hold of the Heirs, there was no knowing what he could do, they were still too young to face the horrors that awaited them.  
  
"Then we must act soon" he replied gravely. "Arthur, you'd best owl the parents of the Fourth Heir."  
  
Arthur nodded and was about to ask him what should he say when Narcissa interrupted.  
  
"What should we do?" Narcissa asked concerned, not noticing how her husband winced from her strong grip.  
  
"I'd suggest you flee the country," Dumbledore said solemnly.  
  
"Leave England? But, where would we go?" said a shocked Lena.  
  
"Safest place I know, would be the Muggle World" Arthur Weasley spoke for the first time.  
  
"So is Hogwarts!" Lena rebutted.  
  
"You can't stay in Hogwarts, there is only so much it can protect them" Severus spoke his eyes glued to the floor.  
  
"Wha- Wait a minute, you agree with this ludicrous idea?" Lena asked flabbergasted at the thought of her husband agreeing to the idea. Let alone a Gryffindor's idea!  
  
"I think it would be for the best" he replied heavily.  
  
"I refuse to leave" she replied determined "Not given the way things are now. What if you need me?"  
  
"I think I'd much rather have you safe then out there fighting"  
  
"I'm not that helpless!" she protested indignantly.  
  
"I know that!" Severus replied with a low desperate voice. "I just don't want my daughter to grow up without a mother!"  
  
"Oh, Sev" she whispered fervently "She won't. I promise you she won't"  
  
Looking at Lena pleadingly. "I don't want to take the risk"  
  
Silence ensued. Lena seemed to be struggling with her inner emotions and it was hard to see which was winning or if she would arrive to a decision soon. Finally, she sighed, determination etched on her beautiful face.  
  
"All right." she replied.  
  
"Thank you" Severus said, resting his head against her and letting out a small sigh.  
  
~@~ ~@~  
  
Lena stood in front of the gate, her year-old daughter in her arms cooing softly. Narcissa stood by her side carrying a small pale skinned boy, who rested his little head on her mother's shoulder. Lily had his son in his arms, currently trying to get the baby girl's attention. There were three carriages waiting on the other side of the gates, but none of them moved.  
  
"Narcy?" Lena called, using Narcissa's nickname.  
  
Without taking her eyes off the opening gate, she responded: "Yes?"  
  
"We're going to see each other again, won't we?" Lena asked her voice loaded with fear.  
  
"Without a doubt" she replied, turning to her and giving her a small smile.  
  
"Whatever long it takes, right Lily?" Lena said, smiling at the redhead.  
  
"Absolutely" Lily nodded  
  
Suddenly, they both realized that the three babies were holding hands. Lena had to gather up all her strength to stop herself from crying at the sight.  
  
"Come on, dear" she whispered to the small girl.  
  
As soon as their little hands separated, they all started to cry. Their mothers could not calm them down, not even when they got into the carriages did they stop. Lena strength was faltering and as soon as she was out of sight, she cried with her daughter.  
  
Outside, behind the steely gates, Severus Snape stood watching the carriage go on. His face adorned with tears as he saw the two most important people of his life leave.  
  
......FLASHBACK.......................  
  
Meg stared at her mother, then at her brother then at the men who stood watching her every expression. If you had asked her what was wrong, she'd tell you everything. Everything. Her life, all of it was a cover, just like she had been as long as she could remember.  
  
"Meg?" Lena called to her daughter.  
  
"I'm never going to be normal, am I?" she muttered softly, almost to no one.  
  
"Oh, sweetie" she said softly as she reached for her face. Meg flinched and quickly backed away. Lena saw as her daughter face was now stained with tears. She stood up and walked to the nearest window and opening it desperately. She breathed in the warm breeze that graced the sunny day, also letting the warm rays of the sun bathe over her, hoping it would wash the darkness she felt in her heart away. It did. A little.  
  
Secrets. Those almost destroyed her life and even still, she keeps them. There is a side of her that no one could be able to see, let alone understand and she is yet to find someone who could. Secrets. They also started her life, she was who she was because of it.  
  
And that was it. It is who she is. It's her life.  
  
To be continued. ***************************************************  
  
R & R!!!! 


	3. Discoveries of Pain

Title: It's me, my life. (01)  
  
Author name: Marina  
  
Author email: picsis9@hotmail.com  
  
Category: Drama  
  
Sub Category: Action/Adventure  
  
Keywords: SS/RL, LM/SB, Slash Original characters (paired up with the characters)  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: None. I don't have the fifth book, which pretty much sucks, so I'm just winging it around, ok? OK.  
  
Summary: Sometimes, the past can hurt. The way Snape and his daughter, Meg, see it, they can either embrace it, or they can run from it. Will they have the strength to?  
  
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The characters and scenarios on which this story is based belong the the one and only J.K. Roling. Except, of course of Meg, Lena and Lex.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 3: Back in England.  
  
Harry stared at the ceiling with an open magazine on his stomach. A picture of a smiling girl and a quite handsome boy, arm draped around the girl, smiling as well graced the page along with screaming headlines that spoke of the couple's tragedy.  
  
Headlines like "Motocross star killed in Car Crash" and "X-Game King's Sudden Death" were printed on its pages along with pictures of the crash site. The photos seemed too gruesome to watch, blood graced the pavement of the crash site, which undoubtedly belonged to the girl, as the boy was consumed in flames by the explosion that came from crashing against a gasoline tank. At first, Harry wouldn't believe it; he wouldn't believe the reality of the situation and that the people who gave him the best summer of his life were going through so much pain. He remembered those days, and he smiled at the memories.  
  
..........FLASHBACK...................  
  
Just when he thought his life was going to get worse at his arrival to the Dursley's home, Dudley got a new love, and she happened to be a motocross racer. To Dudley's dismay she was taken and the boyfriend was a motocross racer as well. Meg Smith was her name and she was American. Figures.  
  
On Dudley's birthday they went to a race that undoubtedly was product of hours of whining and fake puppy dog eyes (as if the fat brat would ever pull it, even if it worked on his parents). He was amazed at the sheer excitement displayed by the audience. The screams and cheers reigned all over the place, as well as the rumbling but exciting noise the bikes made, followed by tick trails of dust.  
  
Dudley on his part was grinning like an idiot as he watched the race. He seemed to know which one was the girl because his gaze followed everywhere she went and damn! She flies! Her suit's black and blue, just like her bike. He knows because he's listening to the host talk during the race as he explains what's going on. Before he knew what happened, he went on following her, just like his cousin. He notices someone behind her that's closing in, she's ready to make another jump and Harry is anticipating the act anxiously. Just when she jumps, her opponent does so, but at the time he had to land with her, he lost balance and Harry felt himself wincing from the fall. The girl looked behind her and she seemed to slow down until he heard shouts from him commanding her to go on. She hesitated, but nodded and went to catch up on her other opponents. Well, maybe not so much of her opponent.  
  
At the end of the race, Dudley had spotted her with a group of people, talking animatedly and whined to his parents to get an autograph from her. The Dursley's were quite reluctant so they made Harry go and get it for him. Once he is in front of her.  
  
"Excuse me" he starts, nervousness taking over his frail body.  
  
"Yes?" the girl turns at the sound of his voice.  
  
As soon as she turns, the reaction is immediate. Pools of green falling into the deep black circles that were her eyes, staying focused on them as they held everything he wanted. The girl couldn't take his eyes off of him and was altogether ignoring the looks her friends gave her. She was staring too much and she knew it, but she had the feeling that she had seen him somewhere before. Harry broke the intense gaze looking at the magazine in his hand, clearing his throat loudly, as he didn't notice a tall, dark haired boy with sky-blue eyes wrapping his arms around her waist nor the startled little jump she gave at the contact.  
  
"Um, I-I was just wondering if I could, er. have your autograph" he smiled weakly  
  
"Sure!" she said as she took the magazine "To whom may it be addressed?" she playfully added  
  
Harry had to stifle a chuckle of surprise, scarily enough, with that kind of vocabulary, she might as well be like.Snape?  
  
He snapped out of his thoughts. "Uh, right. Dudley, Dudley Dursley."  
  
"All right"  
  
She scribbled down on the magazine.  
  
Handing the magazine back. "Ok, here you go, Dudley"  
  
"What?" asked Harry startled "No, my name's not Dudley, that's my cousin. It seems he was a little too shy to come forward and ask you himself"  
  
The girls who were with her giggled at that.  
  
"It's very sweet of you to come for him," said one of them.  
  
"And very brave!" piped another.  
  
"Usually most of them trip down before they even get to her," said one boy, a bit older than Harry, with silver blonde hair that reminded him of Draco Malfoy, but with a much kind and softer face than the Slytherin git.  
  
Everyone laughed, except Meg, who rolled her eyes at her friends and scowled at the boy who had just spoken.  
  
"I've no doubt about that" Harry replied.  
  
"So, pray tell, what's your name?" asked the boy who had his arms around the girl.  
  
"Oh, my name is Harry, Harry Potter." he extended a hand and the boy shook it.  
  
"Well, nice to meet you Harry, I'm Jason, Jason Bowen." He said with a smile. "My friends call me Jay or JB, so you're welcome to call me that anytime."  
  
"All right. And you can call me Harry."  
  
"Thanks, I will." he then heard a cough. "Oh! And this is my girlfriend, Meg"  
  
Meg beamed. " Meg Smith. Hi!"  
  
A girl with light blonde hair smirked at Jason. "Possessive much?"  
  
"Shut up, Kristen!" Jason scowled, then pointed at her. "This is Kristen. A pain in the ass. Ouch! See?"  
  
Kristen had whacked him upside the head, scowling, then gave Harry an innocent grin. Meg giggled at the sight, then to Harry "It's true, y'know," she said in a whisper.  
  
"Who wouldn't be?" he replied in the same tone of voice earning him a giggle from her.  
  
"This is my friend Jack Martin." Meg motioned to the blonde boy as he waved. He met Max Swanson, a black boy with hazel eyes, and Gabe Blake, a brown haired boy with ocean blue eyes; both were motocross racers. Meg's brother, Lex (as he called himself), was a bit taller than Meg with black hair, blue eyes and porcelain skin. Quite different than Meg . Lex reminded him of someone but couldn't pinpoint whom.  
  
He met Meg friends, who by the way were cheerleaders. A curly, brown haired girl with dark brown eyes introduced herself as Livia. Mandy was a redhead with blue grey eyes that reminded him of Ginny, but taller and leaner. Jane was a blonde with black streaks of hair and unusual dark grey eyes; short in height but charming nonetheless.  
  
He thought it funny the girls would introduce themselves by their first names only, excepting Meg, as the guys gave their full names. He dissmissed the thought as he remembered the Durslesy must be waiting for him.  
  
He then turned away from them and stole a glance at the Dursleys. They were looking at him with menacing glares and Aunt Petunia had her hands on her waist and stomped her foot repeatedly.  
  
"Um, guys? I better go, my family is waiting, but thanks for the autograph." without waiting for a response he walked away.  
  
"Wait," Meg shouted, advancing towards Harry with her gang right behind her, " hold on!"  
  
Harry stopped and Meg followed suit. Unfortunately, the Dursleys were within earshot; still, it would be impolite to ignore her so at his expense he faced her.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We were wondering if you." she pauses as she notices his relatives "and your family of course, could join us to an after race party?"  
  
"We?" started Jason.  
  
"Shush!" she commanded waving her hand at him.  
  
Dudley's eyes widened considerably at the invitation and looked at his parents pleadingly the same time Harry had a look of hope. Vernon Dursley would have jumped up and said no if he pleased, but looking at his son made him reconsider and Harry knew he would give in. Without waiting for an answer, she asked for a piece of paper and a pencil and started scribbling down the address.  
  
"Look, you can go home and think about it, this is the address. Just give the guard my name and he'll know what to do." She handed them the piece of paper and added "I promise I will make it worth your while"  
  
"There's no need to think about it." Replied Vernon briskly. " We've already decided to take you up on your generous offer"  
  
"Great! I'll see you there. It was very nice to meet you Mr. And Mrs. .Dursley, right?"  
  
They nodded in response.  
  
"All right, we'll see you there, Harry" she turned to Harry's cousin with a small smile, "um.Dudley."  
  
"B-bye" he stammered as she retreated.  
  
Of course, right after he got home with the Dursleys, they refused to take him. He, however, did the most unthinkable thing ever: he sneaked out. Voldemort and Death Eaters be damned. This time though, he wore more fitting clothes, the same clothes Sirius bought for him on Christmas.  
  
He smirked at the whole situation. There he was playing Cinderella, something that was liable to get him in trouble, but he couldn't bring himself to care anymore.  
  
When he got there Meg and his friends found him keeping his distance as far away as he could from his relatives. He just couldn't risk being seen for he had sneaked out. Just the fact of it made the act thrilling and exciting and hopefully he'd get away with it. He had learned that the Dursleys excused his absence by saying he was feeling a tad ill. Ill my ass, Harry thought, but soon forgot about them as he hung out with Meg's gang. They seemed like a fun lot and being with them during most of the party made him forget about everything. In there, he was Harry. Not Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, but just Harry.  
  
******************FLASHBACK************************************  
  
Even after the party, Harry kept sneaking out at night or when the Dursleys were out, to meet them somewhere. They would go to restaurants, arcades, the mall, the movies and even to teen clubs. Meg and her friends could only stay for so long as they had to get back home to the United States in time for their start of her school's term. She had stayed for two weeks and solemnly bowed to make Harry's summer the best he ever had. And she did. This summer couldn't get any better but then it would.  
  
Amidst all the fun, he realized that he was starting to have a crush on Meg. He knew he couldn't do this to her as she seemed so happy with Jason. Jason adored her; he was always touching her face, kissing her tenderly, hugging her and always kept her close to him. It hurt Harry to see them like this but he cared about her enough to let her go. But now.  
  
Jason's gone. He was gone and the most selfish and most insensitive part of him (however small) thought that at least he was out of the way. He hated himself for letting those thoughts grace his mind, as if it wasn't enough that he was a murderer.  
  
In spite of his friends' protestations, Harry couldn't help but carry the guilt with him. It was as if the weight of it would allow him to never forget, because that was what at the least Cedric deserved; he deserved to have Harry torturing himself for what had happened. Meg tried to drive those thoughts from his mind by repeatedly assuring him that it wasn't his fault at all. Yes, Meg knew; an edited version of it anyway. He couldn't help but wonder afterwards what would she have said if Harry had told her he was a wizard.  
  
'Probably treat me like the freak I am.' He thought bitterly.  
  
He sighed. He missed Meg. He missed her as much as he missed his friends and it he thought it was quite unfortunate that she lived in the States. Though he wished he could use his Gringotts money, he knew he'd be pushing it too far and there was no chance Dumbledore would ever let him out of his sight. Oh, well.  
  
Fortunately, his summer was going to keep on getting better. Since he asked Albus Dumbledore's permission to stay at the Weasley's, after he had gotten the traditional invitation, Dumbledore couldn't deny him this one thing. The Weasley's were due to arrive tomorrow morning and Harry was glad he had everything packed and ready. He even did all of his homework! Harry had the good luck to have the Dursleys out of the house enough to do everything and before they came back, he sent Hedwig to stay at the Weasley's.  
  
Harry sighed, again. He stood up from his bed and made his way toward the light switch, turning out the lights. He tucked himself in placing the magazines in a neat pile on the desk besides his bed, he'd stuff them in his trunk come morning, he thought.  
  
~@~ ~@~  
  
The next morning, Harry was exhausted. He hadn't slept at all thanks to his impending nightmares. Still, not even the exhaustion nor the habitual verbal abuse from his relatives could damper his moods. He was leaving the Dursleys to spend the rest of the summer with the Weasleys. When they arrived the Dursleys stared at them in disgust; not that Harry noticed since he was hugging his best friend, Ron, after throwing a greeting at Mr. Weasley's way.  
  
"Man, Harry! We missed you!" said the redhead grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"I missed you, too Ron!" he said "Just a question though did you just get taller or am I getting shorter by the day?"  
  
Ron laughed.  
  
"Ahem." Started a female voice.  
  
Harry turned around to where the voice had come from and gaped at the girl in front of him, clearly not believing his eyes. He took off his glasses, cleaned them with his oversized shirt, and held them up in the light to be sure they were perfectly clean. The girl in question rolled her eyes at the boy and tapped her foot lightly, as if impatient. Harry, satisfied with the cleaning, put his glasses on again, and seeing that no matter how clean his glasses were, the girl didn't change a bit.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked flabbergasted.  
  
Ron, as it seemed wasn't the only one who had changed. Hermione had straightened her hair and the frizz seemed to have gone completely making her hair look longer than it seemed. She was wearing a sleeveless V-necked crimson blouse with a beige skirt that reached above her knees and high- heels shoes. She had grown into a very beautiful girl (if not woman) that Harry was pretty sure Hermione would have ever guy, including Malfoy, eating out of the palm of her hand! Except him, of course, as Harry still was hung on Meg.  
  
"No, Cindy Crawford." She replied sarcastically, snapping Harry out of his thoughts. "Of course I'm Hermione, who else would it be?"  
  
"Hey! There's plenty of girls around." He replied indignantly.  
  
"Oh? Like who?" she teased, adding: "You better not be cheating on me or I'll hex you bloody into next week"  
  
"You wouldn't! You love me too much to hurt me." Harry teased back and crossed his arms as if challenging her,  
  
Taking a pensive look, then shaking her head "Too true, too true."  
  
Both boys sniggered as Hermione scowled.  
  
"Oh, shut it, you two! Now Harry, c'mere and give me a hug, pronto!"  
  
Harry laughed as he walked towards her and embraced her.  
  
"It's good to see you Hermione." He said into her hair.  
  
"Oh, it's good to see you, too. I've been so worried!" she replied hugging him tightly.  
  
"Come on! You needn't be." He said holding her shoulders in assurance. Then he swept his eyes over her, nodding appreciatively. "Goddamn, 'Mione! You look good!"  
  
Hermione and Ron looked at each other with wide eyes, and then looked at Harry and back at each other.  
  
"Whoever this girl is, she's been a bad influence on our Harry." She said solemnly.  
  
"Oh, shut up" Harry scowled, pushing her shoulder lightly. Ron grinned mischievously.  
  
"The very little I know of her, I can tell you that she's a muggle celebrity from the United States." Ron said matter of factly.  
  
"American?" she asked as she raised her left eyebrow and turned to Harry.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Guys, she's just a friend." He told his friends.  
  
"Uh-huh." They replied in unison, disbelieving.  
  
"Besides, she had a boyfriend, I met the guy and I befriended him. He was a great guy, not like you, mind you, but great nonetheless; he trusted me and I don't even know why but he did. It would be a betrayal to his memory if I ever acted on my feelings."  
  
"Was?" Hermione asked, eyeing the raven-haired boy quizzically.  
  
"His memory?" asked Ron puzzled. "Harry, what are you on about!?"  
  
Harry then started explaining what he had read in the articles leaving his friends to gape shocked.  
  
"How awful!"  
  
"Sorry, Mate."  
  
"You know what's the most horrible part? That she was there, she watched her boyfriend be consumed by the flames. She saw the death of a loved one right before her eyes and feeling helpless and useless to do anything."  
  
Ron and Hermione looked at each other knowing how Harry related to the situation. As much as they tried, they couldn't make him know it wasn't his fault and stubbornly carried his guilt as his punishment.  
  
"She must have thought it was her fault." He added softly.  
  
"But it wasn't, was it?" She spoke quickly, adding: "It was an accident."  
  
"Well, of course." He said grinning slightly. "With a face like that, who would dare to cry out 'bloody murder'?"  
  
"Harry's very fond of her face, mind you." Ron added solemnly earning a glare from his friend. Hermione giggled at the insinuation shaking her head. It was too amusing to see Harry in that state. She was glad though. He needed someone to make him forget for a while, even if she was a muggle.  
  
"Now, changing the subject." he started. "Where's everyone?"  
  
****@@**** ****@@**** ****@@****  
  
Snape found his daughter in her room, packing. He propped himself against the door frame looking at her as she packed and got lost in thought as he recalled the week's events. She had not spoken to anybody for a week despite of everyone's futile attempts to get her to open up. Her friends noticed the change and went on being worried same as her parents. They didn't know the reason why Meg was in such a gloomy mood, or why she avoided them at all costs. Even then, they called on the phone, hoping against reason that she would want to speak with any of them and end the alarming silence. Snape, along with the rest of the family was getting frustrated. He had written to Dumbledore, updating him on what was going on. Dumbledore just said: "You win by patience, not persistence." Snape snorted. What would he know? He wasn't the one who'd paced the hall right outside her bedroom door for almost every day.  
  
She only got out of her room for her morning exercise and cheerleading practice. She once went to motocross practice but those practices were rare, almost non-existent. He found out that his daughter was a muggle celebrity of some sort. She was a motocross racer and a very good one at that, given that she was a celebrity. He remembered going to one of her practices. The ease and passion she put into racing just made him long to do the same. It made him remember the old days when he raced and thrilled in the speed, the high jumps, the adrenaline, the sweat.everything. Meg abandoned herself completely to the race, as if it would render her free of worries. When she jumped up high, he could see how she thought she could fly away and never return but she'd always landed. No matter how hard she tried, or how much she wanted it, she would always land.  
  
He heard a voice calling him to the land of the living and quickly snapped out of it only to realize it was his daughter calling to him.  
  
"Hey!" she called, standing at least a foot away from him. "Are you ok?"  
  
It took him a minute to assess that his daughter was speaking to him. For the first time, in a week. He even was the first one she had spoken to, or so he thought. He shook out of his thoughts before she could change her mind and started acting as she had.  
  
"Er...yes." He mumbled and then cleared his throat. "Yes, I am. No need to worry."  
  
Meg frowned. "Well, you did look like in another planet and weren't going to come anytime soon."  
  
"I was just doing some thinking"  
  
"Care to elaborate?" She asked. "That is if you don't mind me asking."  
  
"No, not at all." Snape replied quickly. "It was nothing of importance, however. Just mindless thinking."  
  
Rising an eyebrow, disbelieving. "Oh."  
  
"You don't believe me." He stated narrowing his eyes.  
  
She smirked. "No."  
  
"May I inquire on the reason why you don't think so."  
  
"You don't look like the kind of man who would engage on mindless thinking." Meg replied facing him and waving a hand in the airfor emphasis.  
  
Snape chuckled bowing his head.  
  
"Black, on the other hand..." she trailed off.  
  
He chuckled again."Indeed."  
  
Suddenly there was a small lapse of silence in which Meg returned to packing her things into carton boxes. Severus stared some more before speaking again.  
  
"Do you need any help with that?"  
  
Looking around. "Yes. I guess I could use a little bit of help."  
  
Snape happily obliged. Then he thought he wouldn't have the patience to go through all of his daughter things, so he got his wand out and muttered a spell. Meg's things were neatly packed into the boxes.  
  
Stunned. "Huh...ok. Um, I thought you couldn't use magic outside of...of..."  
  
"Hogwarts?" Snape finished helpfully.  
  
"Yeah, that. Whatever." she shrugged nonchalantly.  
  
"Students and minors alike cannot use magic as they're not properly trained." He explained. "Since I am a fully trained wizard, I am within my right to use magic as I please. However, I do not for I risk sighting by muggles."  
  
"Muggles?"  
  
"Non-magic folk."  
  
"So, if I were to say that I was raised as a muggle, it means that I've been living without magic, is that it?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Another pause.  
  
"Meg?" Snape called tentatively.  
  
Eyes downcast."Yes?"  
  
"Would you like to talk?"  
  
A quick glance. "Aren't we talking now?"  
  
"I meant..." he paused. "I assumed that you would like to talk about how you feel about leaving."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I would like to know about your thoughts on this." He swept his hand at his surroundings. "On becoming a witch and learning to control your magic...going home."  
  
Meg mentally bristled at that. She counted to ten before speaking again with the man and meeting his gaze in a cool demeanor.  
  
"This is my home." she countered.  
  
"Yes, I see tha-" He was cut off.  
  
"No, you don't." Meg snapped. "I've made my life here. I have my friends and family right here. I built my past on this place and it's written on these very walls. I've started to build my future here and those things are what your *home* lacks."  
  
"Still, you were born in England and *my home* recognizes you as family." Snape explained. "Furthermore, you also have a family there. A family that is eager to see you and have you back in their lives."  
  
"Why now?" She shouted, thouroughly angry. "Why now and not before? I've never met this family and I'm still reluctant to believe that after almost 15 years, they have decided to have us back. Didn't they want us before?"  
  
"Of course they wanted you!" Snape protested. " But you have to understand that the circumstances of having you back weren't so good."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Meg, I know you're angry, but you have to understand."  
  
"I have to understand?" Meg asked disbelievingly. "All these years you were gone and neither Lex and I knew why and now after so many years you expect us to accept our fate so readily. Well, screw you!!"  
  
"You will watch your language in front of me young lady!"  
  
"Oh! Now the long lost father demands respect! How ironic!" she laughed bitterly.  
  
"Meg, I'm warning you." He hissed dangerously.  
  
"Yes and what are you going to do? Hit me?" Meg said, defiantly.  
  
Seething. "How dare you?!"  
  
"How dare you burst into my life demanding to be obeyed when you haven't earned that respect! How dare you assume that everything will be all right if you asked me to leave my life and think that I would be pleased to have this whole change. How dare you ruin my life like this!" shouted Meg, furiously only to sit down on her bed sobbing miserably.  
  
Snape watched as his daughter cried on her bed and let go. He watched with growing guilt as he realized the amount of pain he had inflicted on Meg with his abscence, wishing fervently he could take back time and do things differently. He let the tears fill his eyes and fall down his pale face, glad for only a few second to let go of his own pain. He wiped his face furiously with the back of his hand thinking he didn't deserve the relief. He looked at the broken figure of his daughter.  
  
"Meg..." he started only to be cut off again.  
  
"I don't want to hear it." She said shaking her head. "I've heard your excuses and it all comes down to this petty Dark Lord and his stupid followers."  
  
'Ouch' he winced mentally.  
  
"They're nothing!" Meg continued. "Your excuses don't make up for anything and 'sorry' doesn't make a wrong right."  
  
"Are you trying to tell me that it was wrong to protect my family?"  
  
"Protect us? By sending us away"  
  
"I had no other choice."  
  
"Then you should've found one!" Meg accused. "Anything but that. Anything to prevent Lex from crying himself to sleep when he thought you didn't love him and ever making me feel the same way. Anything to keep my classmates from cruelly taunting me, claiming that the reason you left was because I wasn't good enough and loved by you. Anything! Anything that would let us know you were there for us!"  
  
Snape was once again rendered speechless and berated himself some more for his daughter's pain.  
  
"But did you? Of course not! I hated you. I hated you for it!"  
  
These words cut Snape deeply. His heart bled at Meg's angry remarks. How could he? He swore to himself he would never hurt his family, but he did and he hated himself some more.  
  
"I'm sorry." He replied tightly, earning a snort from Meg.  
  
"It's true." Snape insisted. "I swore on my soul I would never hurt my family but you just showed me I did. I never intended to do it. I came for my family and I won't leave for England without you. I need you to give me a second chance."  
  
"If you had come before, all of this would have meant a lot more than it does now." Meg replied coldly.  
  
She wanted him to hurt. To hurt the same way she did. But her revenge wasn't sweet as expected. She realized with every word she say as she pushed her father away, the pain in her heart would only increase. She had learned to love him and call him father in her mind as he saw how happy he made Lex. Why are you doing this? she asked herself. I thought it was all forgiven. It seemed that her thirst for revenge had won her out.  
  
"I'm here now." He replied softly. "Does it mean anything to you?  
  
She didn't respond as she leant on the wall, arms crossed, and gaze out her window.  
  
"At all?"  
  
No response ther either.  
  
"I see." He bowed his head in defeat. "I won't bother you anymore, you can count on this. But know this: you may hate me for the rest of your life, but I love you, I always have. Perhaps the choices I made were the wrong ones, but I've no doubt in my mind that I did it out of love. For you, for Lex and for your mother."  
  
Snape turned around, his face contorted in pain and eyes full of tears and headed for the door.  
  
"It does." Meg spoke.  
  
He froze mid-step. Without turning around he asked: "What does?"  
  
"You... coming here." She replied. "It means everything to me."  
  
Snape closed his eyes and a fresh bath of tears came onto his porcelain face.  
  
"Mom always says: 'Better late than never.' "  
  
Snape faces his daughter who is looking at him hopeful. She seems surprised to see the wet trails on his face and he does not wipe them away. He slowly walks towards her and fastens the pace a bit once she didn't seem to move away. Soon, he had her on his arms and she buried her tear stained face on his chest and cried again. He runs his long, delicate fingers through his daughter silky raven hair and after a few moments he grabs her face and looks straight at her.  
  
"I'm not letting any of you go this time." He bowed and she laughs as she flungs her slim arms around his neck.  
  
Snape kissed his daughter's hair and whispered into it:  
  
"My baby. My baby girl, I missed you so much."  
  
She replied. "I know...I missed you, too."  
  
******************************************************************  
  
R & R!! 


	4. Home sweet Home

Chapter 4: If you're tired of England...then you're tired of life.  
  
Finally, finally after 12 godforsaken hours in the plane back home, considering that it was the home of most present company, the group of disgruntled people got out of the flying vehicle. Lupin seemed tired but amused, Black looked like he could begin kissing the ground he walked on just to emphasize how much he hated the flight and Snape, well, let's just say that if anybody thought he was always in a foul mood, now it was even fouler; the man seemed to want to snap at anybody who was in his way. Meg still noticed how some people just ran out of his way, probably in fear. Lena, Lex and Meg were the opposite entirely. The three of them were as calm as a cucumbers, which put Snape in a more foul mood, thinking there was no way kids that age wouldn't get restless in such a long flight. He was yet to see that his kids weren't like any other kids, in more ways than one.  
  
They did, however, make something of those 12 hours. Meg heard all about Hogwarts, Gryffindors and Slytherins, which Meg found to be a topic to cause a very heated conversation; and at last the Potters and the Malfoys, especially the ones Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.  
  
Meg and Lex had already heard the Potters story from their mother. Meg could totally relate to Harry, whom she said she had heard the name before, but that it couldn't be her Harry. She would bet anything that it was another Harry Potter they were talking about. Besides there were other Potters around England, right? Right? She kept telling herself that.  
  
And then they were home. At least our current home, Meg thought. Both Lex and Meg looked around, taking in their surroundings until they were interrupted by strange little people. Their father explained that they were house elves. The house elves promptly greeted their new masters and Lena was surprised to find how their English was improved to that of a normal person. Then they turned to greet the Manor's master.  
  
"Good evening Master Snape, will you be needing anything at the time?"  
  
"No, Gordon, thank you. I will be escorting our guests to their rooms." Snape replied, ignoring the different reactions he received from both Lupin and Black.  
  
The house elf nodded. "May we take our leave then?"  
  
"Yes, but first," Snape started, "am I right to assume that the new rooms are ready?"  
  
"Yes, Master Snape."  
  
Waving his hand dissmisevly. "Very well, then, you can leave."  
  
After they nodded their thanks, the house elves left with a resounding pop, making the occupants of the room jump startled.  
  
"That was strange." Alex commented, eyes wide in amazement.  
  
"It won't be for long" Meg stated.  
  
As they were being escorted to their new rooms, Lex and Meg noticed something else out of the ordinary: the moving paintings. Lex was more even amazed to find out the not only they moved but they talked! Meg rolled her eyes at hearing her little brother say "Cool!"  
  
When he arrived to his new rooms, Lex expected to see something elegant and old, only to find it decorated almost in the same way his old room was but only better. Snape had managed to have muggle devices installed in Lex's room such as a T.V., VCR, DVD player, and Apple computer (red in color, much to Snape's disgust), telephone, and a stereo. Contemporanean paintings graced Lex's red walls but he loved it, he decided that it was so like him. The way he thanked his father left the man blushing madly, which was a very strange thing to see given the man's pale face. Lena, Remus and Sirius stayed in Lex's room as Severus took his daughter to her room.  
  
Meg's had a more femenine touch, which left her to wonder who had helped him, then she berated herself for thinking that without giving the man a chance. Her room had blue and purple pastel colors. She noticed a few china dolls that her father claimed she had when she was little, courtesy of his friends, he said. Meg had the same entertainment devices as Lex's only in matching colors with her room and like Lex's she had a queen sized bed wrapped in designer silk sheets. Meg smiled at that detail, trust her father to buy the best, regardless of the price. Still, he pampered Lex a little bit more than he did her but she didn't mind. Lex had never been held by his father and both of them needed their time together to know each other.  
  
She was shook out of her thoughts as her father spoke. "Do you like it?"  
  
"Like it? no" she said deadpan, but added, grinning, a few seconds later (for dramatic effect) "I love it!"  
  
A long sigh. "You should know better than scare me like that."  
  
She rose a long, graceful eyebrow. "Oh, really? And what are you going to do about it."  
  
"Are you challenging me, Ms. Smith?"  
  
Meg gasps dramatically. "Me? Persih the thought!"  
  
"I didn't think so." Snape solemnly said.  
  
"But really, what would you do about it?" Meg asked, teasing.  
  
Snape smirked. "This."  
  
Meg cried out in shock as she was abruptly lifted and then thrown on the neatly made bed. She widened her eyes at her father and shrieked as his fingers started to dig at her ribs, tickling her mercilessy. She laughed and shrieked as he tickled her and barely could find her voice to ask him to stop. Meanwhile at the doorframe, both Lupin and Lena were taking in the sight of the father and daughter interaction. Both adults grinned at their play. Lena thought Severus must have remembered how incredibly ticklish his daughter was and still is. They suddenly heard a deep, husky, rich laugh from Severus as Meg feebly retaliated by grabbing a pillow and whacking him with it but couldn't get to the man above.  
  
Finally she yelled. "Mercy, mercy!!"  
  
"Mercy? So soon?" Snape asked without stopping and grinning widely.  
  
"P-please" she laughed.  
  
Snape stopped. "All right."  
  
Meg sat up on her new bed and wiped tears of mirth from her cinnamon colored face. She then looked at the bed and saw the messy heap of sheets gathered at the end of the bed and discarded pillows on the floor, due to the trashing limbs and jumping bodies a few minutes ago.  
  
"Aww! Look at what we did!" she exclaimed to her father with a pout.  
  
"Please, Meg, don't pout, it's not becoming of you"  
  
She gasped. "Then, how am I to survive the teachers? I can't shut my charm off! It's a tradition that's been handed down generations and generations of winning cheerleaders!!"  
  
Severus laughed at Meg's rant but she kept ranting ignoring the joining chuckles from the doorframe. She glared at her father who was still laughing.  
  
"I hardly think a few pouts and a set of puppy dog eyes will win the Hogwarts' staff over." Said Lupin, making his way toward the bed where father and daughter currently sat.  
  
Both of the bed's occupants gave a little startled jump at the voice. Snape wondered how long had they been standing at the doorframe. He turned a pink shade thinking they'd been there enought to hear the whole thing.  
  
Meg narrowed her eyes. "How willing are you to bet on that?"  
  
"No, no bets!" started Lena slightly alarmed and amused at the same time. "Absolutely no bets."  
  
"Spoilsport." She muttered.  
  
"I heard that."  
  
Meg scowled as Lena yawned.  
  
"I think you all will agree with me that it's time to get to bed." started Lena, rubbing her eyes. "We did have a long flight and we need our rest. Besides the adventure doesn't end here, we still have to go to Diagon Alley to buy your school supplies."  
  
"You make it sound boring, mom."  
  
"To me it is boring." She replied, giving Meg a weary look. "I've done it for a bit more than 10 years and it's always boring."  
  
"Don't mind your mom. Think of all the new things you'll have by tomorrow." Remus haughtily spoke.  
  
"Hey! I resent that!" Then added: "Now, can we go to bed?"  
  
"Yeah, as soon as I find my stuff." Meg replied.  
  
"The house-elves already got to it." offered her father. "They're in your closet."  
  
"Whoa, they're fast!"  
  
"Magic, dear. Magic." Her mother stated.  
  
"Right. Whatever." Meg said, rolling her eyes.  
  
Yawn. "Night, Meg."  
  
"Night, mom. Dad"  
  
"Sleep tight." Her father replied sending a smile her way, which she returned.  
  
"All right." she replied.  
  
Severus stared at Lupin, who made no indications of wanting to move anytime soon.  
  
Exasperated. "Lupin."  
  
"I'll be right out, I just need to say a few things." Lupin replied as he crossed his arms. He found that he did that every time that Severus got into offense.  
  
"Well, get on with it."  
  
"In private."  
  
"I don't-"  
  
"It's all right, dad. You can go to sleep now." Meg interjected.  
  
Severus eyed them both as Lena whispered to him. He grumbingly said:  
  
"Fine. Just don't take long."  
  
"I won't." Lupin assured.  
  
He closed the door. Then he took out his wand.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Lena.  
  
"I'm putting a small alarm, that'll tell me when Lupin leaves the room."  
  
"Severus!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't be like this. You know Remus wouldn't do anything to his goddaughter. He'd kill himself before he'd hurt her."  
  
"You're asking me to trust a werewolf?"  
  
"I'm asking you to trust my friend!" Lena fervently argued. "Severus, I have no time for this. You put that charm on your daughter's room, you'll sleep on the floor."  
  
"You wouldn't"  
  
"Try me."  
  
Severus saw that his wife was dead set on being obeyed. She was as manipulative as her grandfather but sometimes she was so direct on what she wanted, she often got it. Severus sighed tiredly.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Good. Thank you." she leant in to kiss him on the lips, making a soft noise as she made contact with his lips.  
  
"God! Get a room, why don't you?" said a deep annoyed voice.  
  
"Well, seeing that I am in my own home I figured I could do what I damn well please, don't you think?" Severus scathed.  
  
"Sev, Sirius, please." Lena pleaded before Sirius could come up with a retort. "We're all tired and frankly I need my beauty sleep, so please, please don't start."  
  
"All right." Sirius relented holding his hands up. "By the way, where's Remus?"  
  
"Oh, he's in there." Lena pointed to Meg's door. "Talking to Meg."  
  
"Ok, I'm coming in, be right out." And he entered, before Severus could protest.  
  
Severus was fuming. The disrespect he recieved in his own home was intolerable! By Lupin and Black no less. Let alone that his wife keeps on defending them, despite of everything. Of course, he could expect no less of his Gryffindor wife, unless it became the death of him.  
  
"Severus?" called his wife.  
  
No response.  
  
"Breathe." She finished.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lupin sat on Meg's bed as he waited for her to get changed into her pajamas. She got out of the bathroom in less than a 2 minutes and jumped playfully onto her bed grinning at Remus. He grinned back.  
  
"All right. What did you want to talk about?"  
  
"Well, Meg." He started, gulping nervously. "This is hard for me to say, so bear with me all right?"  
  
"Oh, no!" Meg said dramatically.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're not in love with me, are you?"  
  
"What? NO!" Lupin said startled. "How can you say such things? I'm your godfather, for goodness' sake!"  
  
"Whoa!" Meg said backing out putting her arms in front of her defensively. "Easy, tiger, easy. I was just trying to loosen you up."  
  
"Don't." Remus sighed.  
  
Sheepishly. "All right, sorry."  
  
"Oh, it's ok." Lupin said grabbing her hand and patting it.  
  
"So..." Meg started, awkwardly, "you're my godfather?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is that what you wanted to tell me?"  
  
"Well, partly." He said without looking at her as he let go of her hand. "If you'd please not interrupt me, because what I'm trying to say it's very serious."  
  
"Oh, are you guys talking about me?" he said grinning as he shut the door on Severus face.  
  
"No, I was trying to say something that had nothing to do with you, Sirius." Remus sighed. "But you can stay."  
  
"Well, don't mind me." Sirius cheerfully added as he sat on an ottoman. "Just do like I don't exist."  
  
"That would be a very hard task to do, even if you weren't here, Paddy."  
  
Meg giggled. Sirius grinned and winked at her as Remus shook his head.  
  
"Now. What I wanted to say, " he started, "is that I'm a werewolf."  
  
He paused to see Meg staring at him in astonishment. She stared and stared, until it got on both men's nerves.  
  
"Meg?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Did you hear me?"  
  
She nodded. "Uh-huh."  
  
"Well?" he asked. "Are you ok?"  
  
"I don't know." Meg replied truthfully. "I'm so shocked, I'm speechless."  
  
"The reason I wanted to tell you this, is because I'll be back to teaching at Hogwarts."  
  
"Back?" she asked. "Why did you leave?"  
  
"The school found out that I was a werewolf, and I just quit and left." Remus started explaining. " I just thought it might be better before Dumbledore would find himself in a tight fix with the parents and the school's board for hiring me and decided he'd tell the ministry I'll stay despite of my lycantrophy. He knew what I was and still hired me"  
  
"But if this Dumbledore guy trusted you enough to theach the little 'uns, why leave?" Meg reasoned. " Believe me, Remus, the very little I know of you, makes me see that you're a great person. I would be willing to bet your students loved you, and would have accepted you as you were."  
  
"In any case. " Remus started gaining Meg's attention. "Not everyone is so...friendly towards werewolves. Defense Against the Dark Arts books, and biased myths are a few reasons why. Everyone believes that werewolves are dark creatures, monsters, what you will, and they are, on the full moon that is."  
  
"The rest of the time they're humans, right?"  
  
" Yes. Besides, I'm taking a potion, a sort of medication."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"The Wolfsbane Potion." He replied. "Your father will make it for me at my stay at Hogwarts. It makes the drinker tame while in the wolf's form."  
  
Meg blinked. "My father?"  
  
"Yes, your father. Why?" Remus said, slowly.  
  
"Nothing, it's just...I don't know."  
  
"Yes, you do." Sirius stated. "You don't trust him, do you?"  
  
"Well..." she looked away.  
  
"Meg!" Remus admonished, indignant.  
  
"Look, I know my father doesn't like you. He even said that he doesn't get along with you guys very well. But the looks...the looks tell me something else, and I don't like it."  
  
"For God's sake Meg, he's your father."  
  
"No, let her! I like this girl already." Sirius defended.  
  
Glare. "Padfoot!"  
  
"Why don't you guys get along? It can't be this petty feud between Slytherins vs Gryffindor."  
  
"That's partly it." Remus confessed. He was wringing his hands, hoping she would just leave it alone. To his dismay, she didn't want to.  
  
"What's the rest of it?" Meg asked, exasperated. She figured they were hiding something and she wanted to know what.  
  
Sigh. "If we tell you, you're going to hate us."  
  
"No, I won't! Try me." She urged.  
  
After they explained the incident in their 6th year, how they were nearly expelled, and how their victim was forced into silence, making him more bitter and resentful toward his supposed protector. They explained everything to her, and once again, she was stunned. I must have heard wrong, she thought.  
  
"I'm sorry, there must be something in my ears-"  
  
"There's nothing wrong with your ears." Remus snapped at her.  
  
"Oh, no!" Meg seethed. "No! Don't you dare get angry at me Remus Lupin! If anything, I should be the one who gets mad, not you!"  
  
Both men gaped at her, but Remus understood as his young features were filled with sadness. Sirius watched her guiltily as she now paced her room.  
  
"What were you thinking?" Meg shouted in anger, stopping before Sirius. Were you thinking at all?"  
  
"Yes! Yes, I was!" Sirius said loudly. "I was thinking that the stupid sod deserved it. Following us everywhere and trying to get us expelled. I just wanted to scare him off."  
  
"At the expense of my father's life?" She said, her anger rising up a notch. "And who are you to decide what my father deserved and did not deserve? Why would you do this? Just because he wanted you expelled? I'm surprised you didn't get expelled when that happened."  
  
"We nearly were!"  
  
"But you did graduate!" Meg said exasperated. "And I want to know why you did what you did."  
  
"Why? You want to know why?"  
  
"Sirius..." Remus warned, afraid that he migth say the wrong things and reveal what he had worked so hard to forget.  
  
"The girl wants to know why." Sirius reasoned, sporting a mad glint in his eyes. Meg wasn't swayed by that. She was going to find out one way or another and she preferred now.  
  
Grabbing his arm pleadingly."Sirius, please..."  
  
"I'll tell you why. Revenge, that's why." He hissed out.  
  
"Revenge?" Meg asked, arms crossed in indifference.  
  
"God." Remus moaned.  
  
"He hurt Remus. He broke his heart."  
  
"Ok, that's enough, Sirius."  
  
"We Marauders," he went on as if Remus hadn't said anything. "We look out for each other. We got each other's back, and as such, I bowed I would make him pay."  
  
"By killing him?" she asked.  
  
"If he needed be!"  
  
Both Remus and Meg gasped in utter surprise.  
  
"I just wanted to scare him. Send the message across 'Don't mess with us.' But rather than hurting him, it hurt me more. I nearly lost my friends, and their trust. I was shunned from my house for losing the hard worked points. I lost the respect from classmates and teachers. But most importantly, I lost the love of my life."  
  
Tears ran silently down his bronzed cheeks as he fell down onto the chair in front of the ottoman. Meg pitied him. Despite of nearly costing her father his life with that stunt, she felt sorry for him. He realized the hard way, that revenge leads to more pain, especially for the avenger. He kept on talking in ragged breaths.  
  
"I loved him so much. (Him? Meg thought. Remus?) I was so blinded by rage that I didn't think things through. Remus was like a brother to me and your father hurt him so much... I didn't think that by hurting his best friend I'd be hurting him, too."  
  
Nope. Not Remus, she thought.  
  
"But you did, Padfoot." Remus said, softly, as he sat down on the ottoman.  
  
"I know." Sirius sobbed.  
  
Meg looked at the pitiful figure of Sirius Black. The man who only a few hours ago was grinning and laughing, was now sobbing in the arms of his beloved friend, remembering the hurt, the betrayal, the many tears he had inflicted to those he cared the most about.  
  
"Did you apologize?" Meg asked tentatively.  
  
He gave a bitter laugh. "I did! I begged, I groveled, I even was on my fucking knees!"  
  
"Sirius!" Remus admonised.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Well, that was humiliating." she stated  
  
"You've no idea."  
  
"Oh, believe me. I do."  
  
Both men frowned but refrained from asking anything. The air was tense and everything seemed to hang by a thread.  
  
"You ever saw him again?"  
  
It was then, when Meg said 'him' instead of 'her', did Sirius realized he confessed he was in love with a man.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Meg assured him. "I don't care you're gay, or bi. I have a gay boyfriend to care for your preferences."  
  
"Oh."  
  
A pause  
  
"Well?"  
  
He sighed. "I did. On his wedding. And after that, every other day...with his wife."  
  
"Egads! He married a woman?" She said, taking a hand to her chest.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He should be ashamed!" Meg exclaimed, looking thoroughly indignant. "Disappointing the gay population like that. I don't believe it!"  
  
Both men were, once again, gaping at her as if she had grown two horns. First she was furious at Sirius and then found herself indignat at the fact Sirius' lover married a female. Maybe she was in that time of the month, Sirius thought.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said sincerely.  
  
"Don't be...I deserved it."  
  
After a few minutes and a box of Kleenex later, both men stood up from where they were seating and walked towards the door.  
  
"I'm sorry we..."  
  
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Remus. At least we all got it out."  
  
"Still angry?"  
  
"A bit." She paused. "As you said, you got what you deserved."  
  
"Yes." Sirius nodded, resigned.  
  
"If you truly are sorry, which I've seen, you are," Meg stated, looking at his hands rather than Sirius face. "I think you should go for it."  
  
"For what?" Sirius asked, curious.  
  
"Forgiving yourself." she replied  
  
"I-I..." He stammered.  
  
"You can't expect anybody to forgive you at all if you don't forgive yourself." Meg said in a matter of fact tone. "I've known that it is always better to start with ourselves."  
  
A small pause.  
  
"Have you?" asked Remus as he looked at Meg.  
  
Meg stared at him for a while before returning her attention to her hands. Busted, Meg thought. She was busted preaching what she didn't do. She sighed.  
  
"I've tried." she simply stated. "I've never said it was easy."  
  
Remus smiled at her, stroking her cheek, as Sirius nodded in understanding.  
  
"Keep trying." Remus whispered. Meg nodded in response.  
  
"We better go." Sirius said. "We wouldn't want Snape to burst in here and do us the displeasure to kick us out of here."  
  
"Severus wouldn't do that" Remus argued.  
  
A snort. "Keep telling yourself that"  
  
"Ok, so he would, but not with Lena around." He reasoned, turning the doorknob and opening the door.  
  
Patting his friends shoulders and offering a grin. "Well, aren't you glad about that."  
  
"I'm very glad, Padfoot, very glad." He said getting out of the room and calling out: "Night Meg."  
  
"Yeah, good night." Sirius said, getting out himself.  
  
"Good night." Meg waved at them, as she closed he door.  
  
Meg chuckled afterwards. Then, as if getting a small shock, she slapped her forehead, muttering 'Damn!' a few times. Meg had forgotten to ask Remus what did Sirius mean with her father breaking Remus' heart. Oh well, there was always tomorrow and she got into her bed, turning out the lights.  
  
888888888~888888888~88888888  
  
Harry was up before dawn as the nightmares had paid him its daily visit that night. Noiselessly, he had gone out to the Weasley's backyard to get some very needed fresh air and calm himself down after his nightly ordeals. There was no chance in hell he could go back to sleep now where the nightmares could haunt him still.  
  
So, he spent the hours to dawn sitting on the soft grass and thinking of Meg, remembering the grief she must be going through. Was she ok? What was she feeling, thinking right now? Do nightmares haunt her so? He hoped not.  
  
Thoughts of holding her and comforting her filled his mind. He shook his head in self-reprimand. He sported a bitter smile as his ritual self- punishment began again ever since Meg left. Her comfort, her presence had improved his thoughts about himself regarding Cedric's murder. Meg made him feel normal, and as himself; not Harry Potter, just Harry. His moods were slowly plumeting down as he missed Meg. She wasn't there to keep his demons away.  
  
Suddenly, he heard a rustling of leaves behind him. He instinctively made a grab for his wand and turned abruptly to where the noise came from, his wand pointing at the offending disturber.  
  
"Whoa! Hey, it's just me!" Said a startled redheaded girl "Remember me? Ginny, Ron's little sister?"  
  
Harry heaved a big sigh of relief. He lowered his wand, smiling apologetically at the startled girl.  
  
"Ginny, you scared me." he said in a soft whisper.  
  
Age, it seems, had taken its toll on her and very nicely if he dared say. Her red auburn hair reached the small of her back in a wavy mass. She had grown out of her baby fat as her cheekbones were more pronounced and the freckles on her face faded out by a fraction. Her hight went up by a few inches, no taller than him but it still complimented her thin but curveous (A/N: is that even a word?) body. He looked up to her apologetic face.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I swear I tried to be as silent as possible, but you seem to have a very keen sense of hearing."  
  
"Nah, just a bit paranoid." Harry replied nonchalantly.  
  
"Oh. Sorry"  
  
"Don't be."  
  
A long pause.  
  
"If you want I can leave..." Ginny said, reluctantly, not wanting to interrupt the boy's solitude.  
  
"No! It's ok." He said quickly "This is your home, I have no right to be sending you away at your own home."  
  
"This is your home also, Harry."  
  
"I know, it's just..." he paused lowering his head, then looking up at the expectant girl. "Don't go. It'll be nice to have you as company."  
  
"Sure." Ginny said, smiling.  
  
They both sat besides each other, one looking up the stars while the other just stared off into space. Oblivious to the raven haired boy, Ginny had her thoughts somewhere else rather than the twinkling stars. She drew her knees up to her chin, shivering slightly from the damp air and then looked, really looked at the stars, smiling bitterly. Ginny had her mind back when she was little and loved making whishes upon the shimmering little stones. She would wish for a knight in shining armor, the prince charming, someone to sweep her off her feet and take her to his castle on his beautiful white horse. Infantile dreams were all she lived for, but then...she grew up and she rued the day she did for she met her prince charming, Tom Riddle. If there ever was a man she would never wanted to feel for, it was Tom Riddle. He haunted her dreams, filled with passion and lust, rather than gory deaths and merciless torture. He possesed her as she'd never been possesed. He held her heart and soul in his graceful, ivory hands for which she made a startling discovery: she, Virginia Weasley, had fallen in love with Tom Marvolo Riddle, alias Voldemort. She had fallen hard and deep.  
  
She shook her head and turned to look at Harry. It was uncanny how that boy resembled Tom. At first, she thought her infatuation with Tom came from her initial crush on Harry. She had yet to learn that even if they were twins, she'd have chosen Tom over Harry. After a few minutes of blessed silence, she decided to end it with small talk before going into the house to get ready for their trip to Diagon Alley.  
  
"So..." Ginny started. "I heard of your latest crush. Someone called Meg."  
  
Harry laughed.  
  
"Meg Smith." he sighed.  
  
"Ah, I see how it is." Ginny teased.  
  
Both laughed only to be shushed by the other, taking mind that the rest of the Weasley family was still asleep.  
  
"Who told you?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, Ron...and Hermione." Ginny replied in mock boredom. "They went on and on about her, one would think they fell in love with her and not each other!"  
  
"You noticed, huh?" Harry said teasingly.  
  
"Yeah!" She checkled and then sighed. "I still can't believe it took them this long to get together."  
  
"Together?" said Harry, confused.  
  
Ginny widened her eyes and then grimaced as she realized what she had said, She looked at Harry who was staring at her expectantly.  
  
"I shouldn't have said that."  
  
"Why wasn't I told of this?" Harry asked crossing his arms.  
  
"Please don't get mad at them," Ginny pleaded, "they think nobody knows and haven't told anybody because they want it to be a surprise. I just accidentaly evasdropped on them."  
  
Incredously. "Accidentally?"  
  
"Ok, ok, so I dropped eaves" Harry laughed at that. "I couldn't help it, they were so suspicious! Mum even knows they're up to something."  
  
Harry sighed. "All right. When were they supposed to give us the low down on this."  
  
"The what?" She asked, perplexed.  
  
"I'm sorry." Harry chuckled. "I think their motocrossing slang just rubbed off on me. I meant when were they going to tell us?"  
  
"I don't know," Ginny shrugged. "All I know, is that they want the whole family to know."  
  
"Diagon Alley." Harry said matter of factly.  
  
"How do you know?" She asked, smiling conspirationaly.  
  
"It's the only place both the Grangers and the Weasleys can meet." He replied, smirking.  
  
"Smart." Ginny said thoughtfully.  
  
"Just Hermione." Harry said, haughtily  
  
"Hey!" She punched his arm for good measure.  
  
Clutching his arm in mock pain "What on earth have they been feeding you this summer?"  
  
She laughed and soon Harry joined her. Later in the morning Mrs. Weasley called them for breakfast. Both teens couldn't believe the time they spent talking and joking with each other. The only moment of silence they had was before they sat together and watching the sunrise. Now, one would think that watching a sunrise together would be one of the most romantic moments a couple could share. Clearly, Harry and Ginny were the exception as they shared a sunrise as friends, and nothing more. Still, it marked a beginning. A beginning of the path of choices, where they both would roam to decide where their loyalties lie...as well as their hearts. ====================================================  
  
Snape Manor woke up to the unusual noises of teens waking up singing, jumping or dancing around and bustling around their rooms. One grumpy Severus Snape found his bed to be empty by the time both his daughter and son woke him up for breakfast. He realized with a groan, that he had a long arduous day with his family, the werewolf, and the mutt at Diagon Alley. Lex couldn't wait.  
  
"C'mon! Let's move it! There's places to be, people to see!" exclaimed Lex, who had finished his breakfast in record time.  
  
They were walking towards the enormous waiting room, where a house elf waited for them with a pot of floo powder in hand. Snape stood before the fireplace and turned to face his son.  
  
"You win by patience, not persistance." Snape quoted, who was yet to thank the Headmaster for his wise words.  
  
"What old fool said that?" scowled Lex.  
  
"The old fool is none other than your great-granfather, Albus Dumbledore." He replied matter of factly. Soon everyone joined them at the waiting room. "He is the Headmaster of Hogwarts were you both will be going to get your education."  
  
"He must be very important." Meg said.  
  
"Not only he is important, he's the most powerful wizard of the wizardring world." Lena added proudly as she helped Meg put on her light jacket.  
  
"He is also very feared by the Dark Lord," commented Remus.  
  
"And anyone who dares defy him" Sirius added helpfully. "I believe that any idiot who tried, would be reduced to a pile of ashes."  
  
Lex was...impressed, to say the least. He then turned to his father, a questioning look on his face.  
  
"I am the great-grandson of a very powerful wizard, right?" Lex started.  
  
"Right, you are!" Chirped Sirius.  
  
Still staring at his father. "How come you haven't been reduced to a pile of ashes?"  
  
Severus glared at his son, who in turn gave him an cheeky grin. the room's occupants sniggered slightly at the boy's antics, but sobbered up as soon as Severus sent a glare their way.  
  
"So..." said Meg. "How are we going to get there?"  
  
"By Floo Powder." Replied her mother.  
  
"Come again?" asked Lex perplexed.  
  
"Floo Powder, we'll be traveling through the fireplace." Lena explained.  
  
"The fireplace?" asked Meg, looking at the fireplace with wide eyes.  
  
"Exactly," she replied "one of us will go first and show you how to do it, any volunteers?"  
  
"I'll do it." said Remus walking towards the fireplace. Once he was there: "First, once you have your whole body into the fireplace, you grab a fistfull of the powder from the pot Minnie's is holding" he motioned to Minnie and Minnie lowered the pot for the teens to see.  
  
"Then," he countinued, "you will say the words firmly and clearly 'Diagon Alley', then you let go of the powder and you will be transported. I will be at the other end waiting for you. Any questions?"  
  
The teens shook their heads.  
  
"Good. I'll see you there." Remus said with a smile. Then, he took a fistfull of the powder and said: "Diagon Alley." ===============================================  
  
R & R 


End file.
